Jumping toy



F. S. NEYD'HART.

JUMPING TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MN. 3|, I9l9.

'1 ,329,201 V Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

1 m lIl FRANCIS 8. NEYDHART, OF WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

JUMPING TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Application filed January 81, 1919. Serial No. M4361.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANcIs S. NEYDHART,.

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of West Hoboken, in thecounty of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new andImproved Jumping Toy, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescri tion.

is invention relates to toys and consists of a jumping toy or one of theaerial projectile type.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a toy of any Suitableappearance or configuration, preferably simulating a well known animalor insect and having a memr so constructed and attached as to act as aprojecting means, the same being a perman ent or integral part of thefigure or device.

A still further object is to provide a toy of the character indicatedwhich is adapted to simulate. under certain conditions, the naturalwalking or jumping of the creature which the device simulates inappearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy having means forself propulsion and made of relatively cheap sheet material of a naturesuitable for insuring strength and durability.

With the foregoins and other objects in view the invention consists inthe arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact detailsof construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose ofillustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a preferred embodiment of mv invention shown in normalstanding position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the projecting element being put updercompression preparatory to the propulsion thereof Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the sprmg tail detached: and

F i g. 5 is an enlarged view of the same n longitudinal section putunder tension somewhat as in Fig. 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings I show the toy as madeto simulate an insect such as a grasshopper or locust,

terial, but for this purpose I have found in practice that a goodquality of paper or sheet celluloid is quite suitable, the body and allof the parts attached thereto, except the tail, being made by stampingof v and then folded longitudinally along the back so as to bring thetwo side portions of the body into close contact as shown in Fig. 3where they may be fastened by any suitable means such as cement or by ametallic fastener 16. The legs and wings are bent so as to present anatural appearance and the legs because of their form and constructionhave a proper degree of flexibility so that when distorted somewhat fromthe normal position they will tend to spring back again to such normalposition. The legs moreover as well as the wings being flexibleconstitute cushioning means for the entire device when it falls to thefloor after being projected into the air.

The tail 15 is made as a separate piece and is formed by the long spiralwinding of atapered piece of fiat material having inherent flexibility.For this purpose thin sheet celluloid is found to be very suitable notonly for the elasticity thereof, but for its durability. As thusconstructed it comprises a flat anchorage end portion 15 through whichthe fastener 16 will pass in securing the tail in place at the same timethe side portions of the body are fastened together, but if other meansthan the fastener is used to secure the parts together the flat member15 will lend itself immediately to this function. All the rest of thetail is wound or rolled into a long spiral beginning at the point 15".Naturally the anchorage portion 15 of the tail is inserted at theposterior portion of the body, and is firm] held by the fastening meansaforesaid while the tapered main portion of the tail projects rearwardsubstantially in a straight line with the back of the figure. In theoperation of the invention, for pro- Jecting pur oscs the figure isgrasped between the t umb and finger of either hand at the forwardportion of the body ,or directly over the two eyes, which being convexportions of the body structure are very strong and rigid. The operatorthen will place the point 15 of the tail upon his knee a single piece orsleeve many other place having preferably a fabric covering to preventslippage of the point of the tail and then will press rearward directlyputting the spring tail under compression, as indicated in Fig. 2. Uponrelease of the fingers from the body the recoil of the spring willpropel or project the toy forcibly forward in a straight line with theaxis of the tail. With practice a child or other person may cause thedevice to be thrown with precision both as to direction and distance,and hence the device or Several of them may be used in the playing of acompetitive game, the result of the game depending upon the skill in thepropuls on of the projectiles. Obviously the direction in which thefigure will move will depend upon the direction or position of the axis01 the tail when put under compression and released. The spring member15 in normal position fills the posterior portion of the body loosely,but when it is put under tension the larger or base portion of thespring increases in diameter filling the space just refer-red to;

As a variation from the operation above described, a child will findmuch amusement in causing the figure to move along a piece of fabric orother relatively rough surface in which the claws 14 of the legscooperate. This action of the figure may be produced either by graspingthe tail and pushing the figIlIGfOI by grasping the antennae andpulling. it along the rough surface. The frie tion between the claws andthe surface will. cause a sort of walking or creeping action or movementof the legs.

The device is not only simple and cheap tomanufaeture, but may be madeup so as to be durable for a long period of time with ordinary orreasonab e care.

I claim:

1. A figure toy comprising a body of sheet material and having eyesressed outward from opposite sides of the ead portion of the body toproduce maximum strength or stiffness, and a spring member extendingrearward from the posterior portion of the body and adapted to he putunder tension through the rearward pressure of the body while theoperator grasps the body at the eyes and presses rearward thereonwhilethe tip of the tail is applied against a fixed object.

2. A figure toy comprising a body and a plurality of legs formed of anintegral piece of sheet material, the same being folded upon itselfalong its longitudinal center forming the body into two equal side por-.tions and a similar number of legs on each side, the legs being flexibleand having terminal claws, means to secure the side portions of the bodytogether at its nether portion, and means attached to the body servingto pro el the body over a rough surface whereby t e friction with theclaws will cause the legs to vibrate and simulate a natural progressivemovement of a creature represented by the toy.

3. A figure toy comprising a body having integral legs formed from asingle piece of sheet material and bent along the back bringing the sideportions of the body against each other and the legs into sup portingposition, a coil spring tail having a flat end located between the sideportions of the body, said tail being made of spring material, andfastening means passing through the side portions of the body and theinter posed portion of the tail serving to lock the parts together andthe tail in place.

FRANCIS S. NEE DHART.

